Luis Palma started last season at Celtic Park found himself out on loan to Olympiacos by January.
Now, the winger is making headlines on international duty with Honduras, helping his country into the semi-finals of the Gold Cup.
The Hondurans were second favourites heading into their quarter-final clash with Panama in Arizona, but they defied the odds with a dramatic win that owed much to the former Aris man’s impact off the bench.
With the game finely poised and time ticking away, manager Reinaldo Rueda turned to the Celtic loanee just after the hour mark.
The introduction proved crucial. In the 82nd minute, fellow substitute Anthony Lozano found the net, sparking wild celebrations with his teammate as they delivered a late blow to their Central American rivals.
The match, locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, went straight to penalties. Panama converted first, and the pressure was on.
Up stepped Palma, who showed ice-cold composure by chipping his spot-kick straight down the middle, a confident finish that set the tone for the shootout.
The shootout ended 5-4 in Honduras’ favour, booking a semi-final date with Mexico and keeping hopes alive of ending a 44-year wait for Gold Cup silverware.
